Short answer
Guarana contains lots of caffeine and not much else. It’s safe in moderation, although overuse can cause health problems.
A fairly even ratio of beneficial and harmful qualities. Moderation is important. Very general topics that can lean towards both sides of the spectrum will be placed here as well. Rice, for example, can be good or bad depending on the type.
View Full Grading System
Category 'A'
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. Side effects are rare. Things rated an 'A+' are typically necessary for survival (for example, water).
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. A few harmful qualities may be associated, but only under certain circumstances such as an allergic reaction.
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. Harmful qualities may be associated, but aren't usually serious.
It is important to note that even the best things in life can become bad in immoderate amounts. So, although something may be rated an 'A+', overconsumption/overdoing can bring unwanted effects.
Category 'B'
Very beneficial to your health. Things rated a 'B+' may have a few harmful qualities to pay attention to.
Overall beneficial to your health. Things rated a 'B' may have some harmful qualities to pay attention to.
More beneficial to your health than not. However, harmful qualities are most likely associated and shouldn't be overlooked.
The main difference between category 'A' and category 'B' is the harmful qualities typically present in 'B' items. Serious side effects are usually uncommon, but are still possible and should be taken note of.
Category 'C'
Both beneficial and harmful qualities associated. Things rated a 'C+' are typically a bit more on the beneficial side. Still, moderation is important.
A fairly even ratio of beneficial and harmful qualities. Moderation is important. Very general topics that can lean towards both sides of the spectrum will be placed here as well. Rice, for example, can be good or bad depending on the type.
More harmful than beneficial. Side effects are common, especially when consumed/done excessively. Moderation is very important.
Category 'C' usually denotes to both good and bad qualities. When it comes to this category, it is important to keep this word in mind: moderation.
Category 'D'
Harmful to your health. Although benefits may be associated, the bad most likely outweighs the good. Moderation is very important.
Harmful to your health. A few benefits may be associated, but the bad outweighs the good. Moderation is extremely important.
Harmful to your health. Very few, if any, benefits are present. Things in this category should be avoided as much as possible.
Category 'D' is typically for things that are more harmful than beneficial. While consuming/doing something unhealthy once in a blue moon shouldn't hurt, we definitely recommend eliminating 'D' items as a regular part of your routine/diet.
Category 'F'
Category 'F' is for things that fail to bring anything beneficial to the table, and are very harmful to your health. We recommend completely avoiding anything in this category. Long-term side effects of 'F' items are usually very serious.
Category 'N'
'N' stands for neutral. Things placed into this category are generally (a) neither good nor bad for you, or (b) lack the necessary evidence to reach any conclusions.
Long answer
Guarana is a plant native to Brazil. It's a rainforest vine that has seeds that resemble human eyeballs. Guarana is also loaded with caffeine - about four times as much as a cup of coffee. It’s powdered after harvesting and used to prepare different drinks and foods. It's common in energy drinks and sometimes shows up in bodybuilding supplements. Guarana is also rumored to increase libido and virility and is sometimes marketed as a booster of sexual prowess.
At low doses, guarana isn't any more dangerous than a strong cup of coffee. Consume too much, however, and you'll experience the unpleasant effects of caffeine overuse: you'll sweat, your heart will beat faster, your blood pressure will spike, and you may become twitchy or irritable. Long-term overuse of caffeine has been linked to problems like insomnia, headaches, and incontinence.
Heavy use of caffeine can also increase your risk of heart disease. Extreme doses of caffeine have been linked to arrhythmia in some cases. If you have a heart condition or are at risk of developing one, you should talk to your doctor about how to use caffeine safely before consuming products with guarana.
The Memorial Sloane Kettering Cancer Center reports that premature ventricular contractions and seizures have been reported after consumption of guarana. The risk of experiencing these symptoms after consuming guarana has not yet been established in the literature.
When guarana is present in an energy drink, you're consuming it with several other ingredients. The interaction of those ingredients with guarana and one another varies from drink to drink. Scattered cases of death after heavy energy drink consumption have been reported - according to the FDA, at least 34 deaths and 54 hospitalizations since 2004. Read the label and use moderation and common sense when consuming energy drinks.
Many of the energy drinks that contain guarana are loaded with high fructose corn syrup. Although it doesn't interact with guarana, it's terrible for you. In the short-term, high fructose corn syrup will cause your blood sugar to spike and is quickly converted into fat. In the long-term, it’s been linked to a broad range of unpleasant health conditions. Read the label and try to limit your HFCS consumption.
Possible short-term side effects
- increased sweat production
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increased heart rate
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increased blood pressure
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mood swings or irritability
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arrhythmia with extreme doses
Possible long-term side effects
- headaches
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incontinence
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increased risk of heart disease
Commonly found in
Benefits
- reduces fatigue
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increases energy
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promotes weight loss
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Thank you for your feedback!
Written by Sean McNulty
Published on: 09-24-2016
Last updated: 12-10-2016
Thank you for your feedback!
Written by Sean McNulty
Published on: 09-24-2016
Last updated: 12-10-2016
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